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The Graham Sisters and Their Dog Bonzo

My mother Doris and her sister Mary Virginia with their dog Bonzo. The picture was taken in August 1932, about 6 months after their brother Howard died of Scarlet Fever. Mary V. was 12 and Doris was 9. The sisters were granddaughters of Jennie Virginia Allen Turner, who was the daughter of Dock and Eliza Allen. My mother later had a sister-in-law named Gladys Cleage, who will celebrate her 93rd birthday this Saturday. I could not find a photograph of her with a sister and a dog, but here she is with sister Anna.

Gladys and Anna Cleage, about 1930 beside their home on Scotten, Detroit.

Gladys and Anna were the grandchildren of Lewis and Anna Cecilia Cleage, and great granddaughters of Frank and Juda Cleage of Athens, TN.

I don’t know why they are looking so gloomy. There were several other photos taken that day of them and of them with first 1 parent and then the other. My grandmother is smiling. My grandfather has an expression similar to Gladys and Anna. Could be they just have what we refer to as “the Cleage look” on.

One of my granddaughters had scarlet fever several years ago and about 15 years ago the son of a friend also had it. Seems to be the same germ that causes strep throat and now that there are antibiotics it is not the killer it used to be.